- Six-month sales from alcohol operations increase 19.3% to JPY422bn (US$3.2bn)
- Spirits sales up “low-double digits”
- Beam Suntory sees half-year top line climb 13%, up 25% against H1 2019
Suntory has reported a near-20% rise in sales from its alcoholic beverages business in H1, with the Beam Suntory division also up by double digits.
The Japanese group noted a “growing consumer preference for premium brands” as one of the drivers for spirits, where its operations came in up by low-double digits in the six months to the end of June. Beer sales inched up 2% in volumes terms for the conglomerate, while the wine business jumped 22% by sales value.
Over at Chicago-based Beam Suntory, value sales were up by double the rate of volumes as the unit’s “premiumisation agenda” proved fruitful. More impressive was the 25% lift compared to the first six months of 2019, before the Covid pandemic took hold.
While performance was not broken out by brand, Suntory spoke to the success of its RTD portfolio in Japan: Sui Gin Soda Can, a premix extension of the Sui gin brand, was released in the market in March and “reached its initial annual sales target in May”, according to the group. Beam Suntory, meanwhile, boasted of a doubling of sales for the On The Rocks premix cocktails brand, which was acquired just under two years ago. Elsewhere, “super-premium brands”, including Knob Creek (American whiskey), Laphroaig (single malt Scotch) and El Tesoro (Tequila), leapt by a double-digit combined rate.
Beam Suntory also confirmed in the results announcement that its headquarters relocation project, to New York, will complete next month.
Suntory’s official half-year results announcement.
Tequila continues to shine in US as American whiskey stays on top – data
